The invention concerns essentially a single-piece multifunction and hybrid connection device, a therapeutic treatment device it is part of, as well as its use for the manufacture of a therapeutic treatment device.
In the framework of therapeutic treatment devices, especially those used for treatment with electromagnetic radiation and in particular microwaves, it has become necessary for the past several years to simultaneously protect certain tissues, for example the rectal wall or the urethral wall, by circulating a temperature controlled liquid, in particular water or an aqueous solution. This has been done by introducing a catheter into natural routes such as the rectum or the urethra which comprises an emitter of electromagnetic radiation, preferentially microwaves, as well as a circuit for introducing and draining the temperature controlled liquid.
The applicant, in the case of a device marketed under the name PROSTATRON.RTM., has introduced a device for multifunction and hybrid connection, enabling seven different functions to be connected in a single operation. This connection device is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 in appendix. This is a single-piece device including a housing with a shape suitable to connect into a reception device, including a front face, a rear face, an upper face and a lower face, and lateral linking faces, said front face including several orifices in which the various elements to connect are inserted, including at least one electrical connection element and at least two elements for the water tight connection of a liquid, for example water or an aqueous solution, the said orifices receiving the said elements being spaced over the said front face, in positions aligned with connection reception elements of the connection reception device.
Nevertheless, this previous multifunction and hybrid connection device of the applicant marketed in the context of its PROSTATRON.RTM. device includes on its front face six orifices of which two are used exclusively to align centering pins on the reception device arranged as far apart as possible for better centering. In addition, the connection elements for liquid inlets and outlets are arranged in two orifices having practically the same distance between them as the centering orifices. The latter two orifices are located more centrally and are used for the passage of an element for the transmission of the electromagnetic radiation, preferentially microwaves, and a temperature detection element, preferentially optical fibers that arrive flush on the surface of the front face of the connection device, such that no direct centering of the optical fibers is possible, as this only results from the alignment of the centering pins connecting into the centering orifices in the front face of the connection device. The use of optical fibers is preferred for measuring temperature when the electromagnetic radiation is microwaves, since optical fibers enable temperature to be measured without being disturbed by the microwave environment. This previous connection device also includes an orifice in the lower face for the passage of a conduit for inflating a balloon located in front of the therapeutic treatment probe.
Thus, this device preceding the invention is complex and costly and does not insure the direct alignment of the optical fibers. To obtain a precise alignment of the optical fibers, it is thus necessary to precisely machine the parts to obtain a practically perfect centering using the centering pins and the centering orifices. This precludes the use of plastic, and demands the manufacturing of a costly metal part. There is interest in using a plastic part since product disposal is simplified.
In the course of intense research by the applicant, the applicant posed the new technical problem involving the supply of a solution that will reduce the number of connection points.
Furthermore, the applicant has also posed as new technical problem the supply of a solution that will enable the self-alignment of each connection element opposite the reception device of the apparatus, in particular temperature detection elements and above all in the case where optical fibers are used.
Another aim of the present invention is to resolve the new technical problem involving the supply of a solution that enables the presence of centering pins to be avoided that create unsatisfactory ergonomics and a hyperstatic situation, at the same time assuring a perfect alignment of the multifunction and hybrid connection elements. These include at least the elements of liquid circulation and electrical connections, that by principle may generate a risk of short-circuits.
An additional aim of the invention is to resolve the new and above-mentioned technical problem even in the case where at least one connection element involves optical fibers that require perfect alignment for the correct transmission of light for a correct detection of temperature, since the diameter of these optical fibers is usually about 0.2 mm or 200 .mu.m, and alignment must thus be precise in proportion to this diameter, meaning a precise alignment of the order of 20 .mu.m.